Memorial tablet



Feb. 2,8, 1939. J, P. SWEENEY l 2,148,560

MEMORIAL TABLET Filed oct. 27, 1936 2 sheets-sheet 1 /asoI 336-PHILADELPH\A, ENNA.

@fm2 www Feb. 28, 1939.

J. P. SWEENEY MEMORIAL TABLET Filed' Oct. 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A vIruenn 'deene l Patented Feb. 28, 1939 vI UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICEJohn P. Sweeney, Chester, Pa. Application October 27, 1936, Serial No.107,768

6 Claims.

My invention relates .to new and useful improvements in a memorialtablet for use as a grave 'marker and has for one of its objects toprovide the kcombination of a marker, emblematic plaque and flag holder.

Another object of my invention is to construct an exceedingly simple anddurable device of this character wherein an emblematic plaque and/or yflag holder are associated with a grave marking tablet whereby theorganization with which the deceased was' affiliated can be designatedand/or aflag mounted in commemoration of s'aid deceased.

Itis a further object of thi'sinvention to provide a' memorial tabletcomprising a grave marker carrying an emblematic plaque and/or flagholder.

A stillfurther object of the present invention is to produce a memorialtablet including a metallic shellconstituting agrave marker having a agholder connected therewith by casting said flag holder as a part of saidshell, or permanently or detachably fastening said ag holder to theshell and also having an emblematic plaque associated with said shell`by casting it with or permanently or .detachably' fastening saidemblematic plaque to the shell or the flag holder. With the above andother objects in view, this invention consists of the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenydesignated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to Vmake andjuse the same I will 'describeone formfin detail, referring by. numerals to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. A1 isk an isometric vView of the memorial tablet looking at thefront thereof and illustrating a preferred relationship between theseveral elements.

Fig: 2 is a sectional View of the same with a portion of the flag staffbroken olf and showing one method of mounting or installation.

Fig. 3 isan end view of the memorial tablet with a portion of a flagstaff in the flag holder.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the grave marker shell per se.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view, similar to Fig, 2, illustrating amodified form of the inven- (Cl. l0-124.5)

bodied, 5 represents a grave marker of any suitable or desirableconfiguration and dimensions. This marker is in the form of a shell andis produced in convenient manner, preferably made as a casting of bronzeowing to its resistance to damage by oxidation or otherwise. Itcomprises a top portion E having suitable indicia l thereon, side andend Walls 8, bosses 9 preferably tapped to receive the anchoring meansI0, such as bolts and, if desirable, any number of pads II, preferablyat the rear, one of which is shown for purposes of illustration midwaythe ends of the marker. Where a pad or pads are utilized each may have athreaded hole I2 therein for a purpose to be presently described.

When in use the marker is mounted on a base or foundation I3 of concreteor other suitable material with the anchoring means I0 embedded therein.A portion of the base or foundation is in intimate contact with themarker to add solidity and stability to the installed memorial tablet.The marker may be mounted in an inclined position as illustrated in Fig.2 in which case a portion of the finished grade I4 is banked or it maybe located parallel with the finished grade as will be obvious.

A Hag holder I5 includes a foot I6, a body Il and rearwardly projectingarms I8, one above the other, to provide a flag staff receiver and theupper arm has a hole I9 through it while the lower arm has a socket 20and these are arranged so the flag staff 2I will be in a verticalposition. The flag holder may be permanently set in the foundationadjacent the marker although preferably said ag holder is carried by themarker. For illustrative purposes and not to be considered in the aspectof limiting the invention, the flag holder is shown as fastened to themarker by a bolt or screw 22 projected through the foot IS and screwedinto the threaded hole I2 in the pad II. It is to be understood that anynumber of flag holders can be used and the fastening means multiplied orsaid flag holder may be cast or otherwise formed integral with themarker or it may be welded, brazed or in any other way permanently xedto the marker.

The invention also contemplates the combination of an emblematic plaquewith the flag holder and grave marker. To this end an emblematic plaque23 is cast or formed with the ag holder in a manner that the face of theemblematic plaque will be tilted or inclined rearwardly when the flagholder is mounted to retain the flag staff in a vertical positionregardless of the installed position of the grave marker. In lieu ofmaking the ag holder and emblematic plaque in one piece they'may bemanufacturedv separately and fastened together, as by screws or theirequivalent, welding and the like.

Where the fla-g holder is to be carried by the grave marker, the broadidea may be carried out by connecting the emblematic plaque to themarked instead of to the flag holder.

To more fully disclose the contemplated scope of the invention, I haveshown, in Figs. 5 to 'I inclusive, a grave marker of the same generalcharacteristics as the one previously described and insofar as the gravemarker and its mounting is concerned, I have used the same referencenumerals.

In this modication the base of the iiag holde l5' is mounted directly onthe outer or top face,

of grave marker and is fixed in position by fastening means 22', such asbolts' or screws, projected through a hole l2 in the pad Il and threadedin the base of the iiag holder. As will be obvious from the descriptionbelow the fastening means 22' may be disposed with if desired.

The flag holder 22 includes a body l1 with rearwardly projecting armsI8', one above the other, to provide a flag staff receiver. The upperarm has a hole i9 through it and the lower arm has a socket 2li invertical alignment with the hole i S. A flag staff 2i is placed in theflag stai receiver so as to be in an upright or vertical positionregardless of the setting of component parts lor the grave marker.

rihis iiag holder is welded or brazed around its base to the gravemarker as indicated at 25 and by dispensing with the asteningmeans 212',said Welded or brazed joint Will be the only means of attachment. Itwill be obvious that any one or more means of connecting the flag holderto the grave marker may be employed and as previously stated allattaching means can be eliminated by making the flag holder an integralpart of the grave marker.

An emblematic plaque 23 is preferably carried by the iiag holder andwhile the same is shown cast or otherwise formed as a part of said flagholder such showing is merely illustrative and said emblematic plaquecan be attached to the flag holder or directly to the grave marker.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that this memorial tablet isparticularly appropriate under present cemetery conditions where, inmany instances, it is desirable to obtain uniformity in markers andlends itself to the use of commemorative elements such as emblematicplaques and flags without the necessity of providing removable supportstherefor which latter often become obstructions and dbris after servingtheir tem.

DOIaIy pupOSe.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction herein shown and described as these may be varied Withinthe scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful iszl.A memorial tablet comprising, in combination, a hollow open bottom shellconstituting a grave marker to be mounted on a cementitious base, tappedbosses on the underside of the top wall of said marker, anchoring meansmounted in said bosses and embedded in the base, a flag holder mountedon the rear of the marker and having nag staff receiving means tosupport a flag staff in a vertical position, and an emblematic plaque inan inclined position on the front of the flag holder.

2. The structure in claim 1 and including a pad formed on the undersideofthe marker with a threaded hole therein, a foot formed as a part ofthe ag holder and underlying the pad, and fastening means projectedthrough said foot and screwed into said threaded hole.

3. A memorial tablet comprising a shell constituting a grave marker, apad on the inside of said marker at the rear thereof, a flag holderincluding a body, means to receive a ilag staff and a foot on the bodyunderlying the pad, and means to fasten said foot to the pad.

4. In a tablet of the kind described, a hollow open bottom shellconstituting a grave marker, a pad with a tapped hole and produced as anintegral part of the top and rear walls on the inside of said gravemarker shell, a combined flag holder and emblematic plaque as a unitarystructure, a

foot on the said unitary structure to underlie the pad, and meanspassing through said foot and into the tapped hole to fix said unitarystructure to the grave marker.

5. A memorial tablet comprising a shell constituting a grave marker, aflag holder including a body and means to receive a nag staff and a footprojectingl from said body, means to attach said foot to the shell,andan emblematic plaque on the front of said flag holder.

6. In a device of the kind described, a flag holder comprising a bodyhaving an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front face and a pair ofvertically spaced rearwardly projecting arms, the upper arm having avertical hole and the lower one provided with a socket aligned with saidhole, and an emblematic plaque on the inclined face of said body.

JOHN P. SWEENEY.

